SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — As the coronavirus spreads across the state, the Illinois Department of Public Health says medical supplies are being used up rapidly.

IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike says the outbreak has led to a shortage of personal protective equipment, or PPE, like gloves, gowns, and masks for doctors and nurses.

Dr. Ezike says the IDPH encourages surgery centers, veterinarians, and others to donate these supplies if they are not immediately needed.

Rend Lake College recently donated the PPE equipment they had in stock to the local hospitals.

Also, some distilleries in Illinois are making hand sanitizer to combat a shortage due to COVID-19.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Trade and Tax Bureau gave the okay last week, saying all craft distilleries could use their alcohol to make hand sanitizer.

The TTB and the FDA gave distilleries a formula from the World Health Organization and parameters for making the product.